M&B_LQI _Aug2026

Quarterly Insights

Summer 2026

Kent The ever popular ‘Garden of England’, Kent is a property hotspot serviced by our team at Miles & Barr.

LETTINGS Increasing supply to meet demand.

Supply

Market rate

Instructions

Average rent

Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025

Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025

65%

5%

SALES Activity holds steady.

With over 25 years’ experience helping people in Kent sell and let properties, our aim is to support clients in achieving their property goals with service and expertise that exceed expectations.

Quarterly Insights

Supply

Demand

Appraisals

Buyers

0%

Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025

3%

Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025

"The Renters' Rights Act is the biggest shift in legislation we've seen since the Housing Act itself. The job now is less about managing tenancies and more about helping landlords see the full picture, because once they do, most decide there's still a strong case for staying in."

Rob Sabin Managing Director

Confidence is key Reframing the Renters' Rights Act Q2 was demanding, but the quarter closed in a strong position. The Renters' Rights Act (RRA) dominated conversations with landlords, though rarely in the way headlines suggested.

Most landlords weighing up their options are doing so on age or lifestyle grounds rather than any wish to evict tenants, and many can achieve the outcome they want by selling in due course rather than acting now. The team's advice is practical: remortgaging to reinvest in the property can lift both its value and its appeal to tenants, often changing the calculation entirely. For new landlords, financing remains a bigger hurdle than regulation and the Act itself should not be the deciding factor. Encouragingly, most landlords are still achieving strong returns relative to other investment options with the average rent up 5% year on year, a point the team makes consistently when advising against a hasty exit.

Family housing continues to lead demand, with two- and three-bedroom properties holding steady appeal and no meaningful shift in the types of property tenants are chasing.

Miles & Barr’s acquisition of Regal’s

lettings portfolio has introduced a growing student rental segment to the local market, creating an additional source of demand and further diversifying the composition of the lettings sector. High-speed rail links continue to draw a smaller but persistent flow of commuters relocating for easier access to London, alongside steady interest in new-build stock.

Normality in sales The sales market should not be defined as 'tough' despite the headlines, it has simply returned to something more normal after the post-pandemic boom conditioned buyers and sellers to expect rapid sales and heavy viewing volumes as the baseline. Accurate pricing and clear expectation-setting with vendors remain the priority.

First-time buyers still face a stretched path to entry, though new-build incentives are opening up genuine opportunities, particularly in lower price points. Investors are looking to Dover, Margate and Ramsgate, where £250,000 can still represent strong value and yields.

Prices and interest rates have held stable throughout the quarter, and mortgage rates are easing, though

investor activity has cooled. East Kent recorded a 3% increase in sales agreed from Q1 to Q2 2026, a clear signal that demand has held and grown through the year so far. Adverse survey findings remained the most common reason for sales falling through, accounting for approximately 25% of failed transactions in Q2, compared with 21% in Q1. However, clients continue to benefit from the expertise of the Sales Progression team, whose focus on communication, relationship management and chain coordination helps to navigate challenges and support successful completions.

Looking forwards The remainder of the year looks set to bring a seasonal lull through July and August before activity picks up again in September. Increased activity is expected into year-end, with much depending on the Bank of England base rate holding steady in the coming months. For lettings, the next six months will be a genuine test of how landlords respond to the Act in practice, while on the sales side, well-priced, well-presented homes are expected to keep attracting strong competition.

Quarterly Insights